UNHRC approves resolution, condemning religious hatred

GENEVA: United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) approved Wednesday a resolution condemning and rejecting religious hatred. The approval came after recent incident of holy Quran desecration in Sweden.T he resolution was approved by 28 member states including India, China and Latin American countries whereas it was opposed by several western countries including the United States Germany, Belgium and Britain, while also seven countries abstained.

This resolution underscores the necessity of accountability as it urges countries to adopt laws and policies countering acts of religious hatred acts, acts that incite discrimination or violence, and stipulates prohibiting or prosecuting such acts and taking immediate measures to ensure accountability. It also urges UN human rights chief and other related parties to make their stance against religious hatred wildly known, and put forth recommendations to address this phenomenon. The resolution requires the UN human rights high commissioner to present a report on the various incentives and root causes of such behavior as well as the toll of religious hatred on human rights, highlighting the loopholes in laws and policies that allow for such practices.

An interactive discussion panel on experts’ level to examine cause and effect of desecrating religious sanctities, is also specified in the resolution. Earlier, Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva Nasser Abdullah Al-Hayen called for firm response to the advocates of hate speech to deter extremists from offending more than two billion Muslims around the globe. All state parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) must honor their obligations set forth in Article 19 and Article 20 of the Covenant, he stressed in a speech to the urgent debate by the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday.

The debate, part of the 53rd session of the HRC, was themed “the alarming rise in premeditated and public acts of religious hatred as manifested by recurrent desecration of the holy Quran in some European and other countries.” Ambassador Al-Hayen noted that the freedom of speech needs to be bound by sense of responsibility and respect for the rights of others. On behalf of Kuwait, he called on the 47 members of the HRC to approve a draft resolution, tabled by the Islamic group of states, to send a clear message that the HRC rejects all destabilizing acts of extremist groups.

In so doing, the Council would be better able to deny the extremists the chance to pose threats to the international peace and security, he said. “The desecration of the holy Quran is a gross violation of human rights,” Ambassador Al-Hayen stressed, reiterating Kuwait’s call for the HRC member countries to do more to promote awareness about mutual respect and coexistence among people with different cultures. The state of Kuwait reminds of the relevant statements of regional and international groups denouncing the growing threats of Islamophobia and the recurrent desecration of Muslims’ sanctities, he added. – KUNA

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